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1. Murphy Outdoors, Gladstone, Mo.
Larry Murphy, born in 1960, retired from the grind to start Murphy Outdoors (see "Gone fishin' -- and into his own business"). The company provides professional fishing-guide services on Smithville Lake, Truman Lake, Pomme de Terre Lake and the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. Murphy specializes in bass fishing but also guides for musky, crappie and white bass. Murphy Outdoors also provides instructional fly-fishing trips for trout at Bennett Spring in south-central Missouri.
2. Red Scream Films, Buffalo, N.Y.
David Williams, born in 1957, produces feature films for the international home-entertainment market. His films are shot on video -- mini-DV and/or HD -- on budgets typically lower than $50,000. The films are targeted at niche genres, such as horror and action. David is proud of his company's old-school, punk, do-it-yourself ethos: If you don't like the books you are reading, write your own. If you don't like the music you are hearing, play your own. If you don't like the movies you are watching, make your own. His official motto: "We'll sleep when we're dead."
3. The Estate Lady, Charlotte, N.C.
Julie Hall, born in 1962, specializes in working with boomer children on how to handle Mom and Dad's lifetime of accumulations. This is the Great Depression generation that never threw anything out. By trade, Julie is an estate liquidator and appraiser who has developed a total turnkey company to assist both boomers and their aging parents.
4. GoReporter.com, Milwaukee
Born in 1959, Sheila Hansen created GoReporter.com to serve as an online superstore focused on audio and recording equipment for communicators and students. Products include digital voice recorders, headphones, microphones, disc repair kits, briefcases and laptop cases. Established in 2003, it was named GoReporter because it originally specialized in equipment for journalists. Now it serves the general public.
5. OfficeFinder, Sammamish, Wash.
Jim Osgood, born in 1953, has been running OfficeFinder since 1995. It is an Internet-based referral and information network of professionals who are experts in helping businesses of all sizes with office-space needs. OfficeFinder has professionals in more than 500 U.S., Canadian and U.K. markets who help prospective tenants find office space. It also offers an extensive network of thousands of executive suite centers to provide the smaller office user with viable alternatives for flexible and short-term needs.
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6. Smoky Mountain Woodworks, Newport, Tenn.
Doug and Marie Bittinger, born in 1956 and 1955, respectively, founded Smoky Mountain Woodworks in January 1999 in their garage in St. Louis. They later picked up and left the city for five idyllic acres of wooded mountainside with spectacular views of the Great Smoky Mountains, English Mountain and the valley between. They make wooden items for the home, including cutting boards, wine-bottle stoppers, goblets and boxes.
7. Brent Brotine Communications, Evanston, Ill.
Brent Brotine was born in 1949 and has parlayed his years of wisdom into a freelance copywriting service for direct response, financial, technology and health-care clients. He bills himself as the best-kept secret among direct marketing agencies and companies in greater Chicago and throughout the United States. After 13 years as an independent writer and decades of experience as an advertising creative director and consultant, he's found his muse and his boomer career.
8. Breakthrough Enterprise, Westford, Mass.
Kerri Salls, born in 1954, created Breakthrough Enterprise as a management consulting firm. The company provides strategic-planning solutions to small and medium-size enterprises, particularly startups, to achieve bottom-line revenue improvement solutions. She provides resources and services to help her clients break through barriers to achieve their visions and goals. Salls is well-versed in her clients' needs: leadership development, new-venture initiatives and business return-on-investment analysis.
9. See My Story Books, San Diego
Born in 1953, Sherry Dean uses software to "personalize" children's books. She takes a child's and the child's family members' photos and integrates them into the books.
10. Maine Day Trip, Scarborough, Maine
Norm Forgey was born in 1945, stretching our definition of "boomer." But we liked his business, so he made the cut. Maine Day Trip offers memorable sightseeing trips for groups of up to five passengers. Forgey plans the scenic driving tours within 100 miles of Portland, Maine.
Published Nov. 5, 2007
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